Method:

Butter a 26cm springform pan and line with non-stick baking paper.
Preheat oven to 160°C.

Peel and core apples, quarter and cut each quarter into three pieces. Heat a large non-stick frypan over medium heat, melt butter, sauté apples and sugar for 5 minutes or until apples start to brown. Add sultanas and cook for another minute. Set aside until needed.

Combine hazelnut meal, hazelnuts, flour, baking powder and ginger in a large bowl.

Whisk eggs, sugar and maple syrup together until light and fluffy. Add apple mixture and egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until well combined.

Pour cake mixture into prepared pan. Arrange apple slices on top of the cake, sprinkle with hazelnuts, sugar and melted butter. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Cool in pan, then serve warm or at room temperature with thick cream.

Notes:

This cake does require quite a bit of preparation before it goes in the oven – it will probably take you 30-45 minutes. But, wow, what a rich, delectable cake!

My biggest springform tray is 22cm, so I had to cook for quite a bit longer so that it wasn’t gluggy in the middle.

Make this cake gluten-free using gluten-free flour (e.g Orgran or White Wings) or 200g hazelnut meal.